Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2013

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his right ankle sprain and bilateral hip conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, including as secondary to PTSD and Type II diabetes mellitus, due to a lack of a VA examination or opinion regarding the relationship between his hypertension and his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a supplemental medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's current hypertension is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and/or ischemic heart disease. The claim will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and conducting medical opinions regarding his diabetes, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, and erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's hypertension and rectal fissure claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to determine the nature and likely etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD was rated at 50 percent prior to December 1, 2009 and increased to 70 percent effective December 1, 2009. The Veteran is not entitled to a TDIU prior to that date.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for hypertension and a higher evaluation for his upper extremity neuropathies. He also seeks severance of service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD).,The Board has determined that the issue of whether the severance of service connection for CAD was proper needs to be remanded due to additional development being required.,The Veteran is seeking a higher evaluation for his depression and headaches, as well as TDIU. He also seeks an earlier effective date for his upper extremity neuropathies.,The Veteran is seeking a higher evaluation for his right and left upper extremity neuropathies. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the severity of these conditions.,The Veteran is seeking a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, depression, and upper extremity neuropathies. Additional development is required for this issue as well.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is proximately due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, and grants this claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient VA examinations and additional evidence may be received. The hypertension claim is deferred until other claims are finally adjudicated.

The Board has remanded the appeal for additional development due to a need for another medical opinion regarding service connection claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on VA's part in furnishing medical treatment.,VA did not provide evidence showing that the cortisone injection caused an increase in blood sugar level and contributed substantially or materially to cause death.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records from 1979 to 2006, scheduling a VA examination for the duodenal ulcer with gastroesophageal reflux disease, arranging for an opinion on the etiology of hypertension and pes planus, and providing a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, lumbosacral strain with facet syndrome, varicosities and post-phlebitic syndrome of the right leg, varicosities and post-phlebitic syndrome of the left leg, and dermatitis.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted on an extraschedular basis due to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and cervical/lumbar spine disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from 1974 to 1990 and providing supplemental opinions regarding his hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA examination reports and treatment records. The claims for increased ratings for hypertension and diabetic neuropathy of the upper extremities are also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is moot as he has been granted a 100% schedular rating and special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1114(s). The appeal of the psychiatric disorder claims is also dismissed as they are encompassed within his now service-connected psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and erectile dysfunction, finding that the conditions did not have their onset in active duty service or are otherwise related to active duty service, including as due to service-connected Diabetes Mellitus Type II.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral foot disability is not etiologically related to active military service.,The preponderance of evidence shows that the Veteran's hypertension did not occur in or is otherwise related to active military service.